Canada. NULES of Ukraine Strengthens International Relations with the Université de Sherbrooke
From July 20 till August 2, 2014, teachers of the Education and Research Institute of Business, Professor L.V. Zaburanna and Assistant M.V. Peter, took a study trip to the Université de Sherbrooke (Canada) as a part of Ukraine Grain Storage and Marketing Cooperatives Project. This project, funded by the Government of Canada, is carried out by the Canadian non-governmental organization SOCODEVI, Canadian Cooperative Association (CCA), the Institute of Research and Education for Cooperatives and Unions of the Université de Sherbrooke (IRECUS) in partnership with Dnipropetrovsk Agricultural Advisory Service, National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine and Dnipropetrovsk Agro-economic University.
The aim of Ukraine Grain Storage and Marketing Cooperatives Project is to remove restrictions for small and medium enterprises through establishment of cooperatives for production, transportation, storage and sale of grain.
The main objectives of the visit of our scientists to Canada were studying the experience and practices for the establishment, functioning and support of service cooperatives as one of the components of sustainable rural development. Moreover, the scientists discussed the development of cooperative movement in Canada and Ukraine, topical issues of management of integrated structures and gender aspects of cooperative functioning. Significant attention was paid to formation of scientific and methodological basis for teaching disciplines on cooperation at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine within the newly created master’s program “Management of Cooperatives.”
The participants of the trip attended a series of lectures and presentations of leading teachers of the Université de Sherbrooke, actively discussed functioning of cooperatives at micro and macro levels of both countries, visited farms and 12 successful Canadian cooperatives, including the largest dairy cooperative Agropur (it unites 3,348 milk manufacturers from 4 provinces; total sales volume – $ 3.84 billion), the Association of Cooperatives La COOP FEDEREE (includes 91 cooperatives from Quebec that are engaged in distribution of fertilizers, grain marketing, manufacturing feeds, premixes and minerals, supply of agricultural equipment and construction materials for the members of cooperatives, etc.), and the leading Canadian financial cooperative – Desjardins Group.
The visit to Canada resulted in strengthening the cooperation between NULES of Ukraine and the Université de Sherbrooke. The issues discussed by the participants included further cooperation in formation of scientific and methodological basis for teaching disciplines within the master’s program “Management of Cooperatives”, support of student initiatives and competitions, student training programs as a part of Ukraine Grain Storage and Marketing Cooperatives Project and joint scientific work of teachers aimed at study of cooperative development. Cooperatives can play a major role in the revival of the agricultural sector of Ukraine.
